140 DAYS OF DEER-STALKING. 



of the tempest and all the barriers that rugged nature threw 

 across your course hear not, I beseech you, the recreant 

 thought that came across our mind. Alas, had not your 

 generous spirit departed prematurely ; had not the mournful 

 sound of your coronach been borne on the hollow blast 

 through your rocky glens and mountains, lamented as you 

 were by many a true heart and brave clansmen ; oh, had 

 you still lived, buoyant in all your strength and national 

 spirit, I would have sung lo Pceans to your triumphs; 

 though, after this confession, candid as it is, your heart 

 never would have warmed towards me again, which you 

 once told me it did, as being the descendant of a borderer. 



The thought of going to the halls of Blair, however, with 

 the deer in view, was transient as it was degenerate ; and 

 to do ourselves justice, would never have occurred to us for 

 a moment, had not the cast been nearly finished, the chance 

 almost as nothing, and had not visions of warm fires, hospi- 

 tality, and happiness floated invitingly around the old 

 towers of the castle, already in view ; in other words, had 

 we not at that moment been somewhat of a milksop. A blush 

 came over our storm-beaten cheeks; we vamped up our wet 

 courage, and were determined to await the event. 



Long, very long, did the party remain under the wrath 

 of Jupiter Pluvius ; for the pasture was good, and the deer 

 were in no hurry to quit it; and, as the men were locked 

 in, they could not move till the deer did. At length they 

 began to draw on slowly over the hill ; two or three dis- 

 appeared, others followed, but more lagged behind. 



"Will they never go? Yes, yes, they seem to be all 

 drawing on ; and now, by Jove, they are all fairly over, 

 except that jealous hind. Fix your glass steadily upon her, 

 Peter, and do not speak till she shall be clearly out of sight, 

 when we are standing up ; try it first on your knees, and 

 raise yourself slowly." 



Fraser looked awhile, then shut up his glass rapidly, say- 

 ing, " Noo's yer time, she is clean awa'." 



Up they sprung, and away they went at high speed 

 steeped and drenched as they were with the rain, which 

 had never ceased for a moment. Sometimes they stuck 

 almost knee deep in old heather, amidst large blocks of 



